Myanmar troops attacked rebel positions in northeast Kachin on Sunday despite a ceasefire order from the president and an invitation to the rebels to take part in peace talks, a rebel spokesman and a local source said.

President Thein Sein issued the ceasefire order to troops in the La Ja Yang area of Kachin near the border with China, where fighting has been fiercest. It was due to take effect on Saturday morning, but Colonel James Lum Dau, a spokesman for the rebel forces, told Reuters the army had continued to attack over the weekend. (Reuters)